“Transformation has to be pragmatic,” he says. “Cloud and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions can enable extraordinary change, but only if they’re implemented in a way that accommodates local realities, anticipating the limitations of legacy systems, bandwidth constraints and infrastructure challenges.”

CRM platforms like Salesforce can radically reshape how African companies engage with their customers, building networks and scaling into growth despite the complexities of power, connectivity and skills. Cloud infrastructure, when used strategically, breaks down the barriers for small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) and gives companies of all sizes access to services that would have once required an extensive on-premises investment. But finding this value means confronting several truths.

The first is cost. The global cloud market may be set to hit $723 billion in 2025, but for many African enterprises, the fluctuating exchange rates and variable workloads turn cloud costs into unpredictable liabilities. Cloud spending is anticipated to increase by 28% over the next year, and companies are going over their budgets by 17%, says the Flexera State of the Cloud report, and this makes it even clearer that African companies risk trading physical infrastructure costs for digital complexity if they don’t have visibility into costs and have a clear strategy.

The second is integration. “Too many companies invest in cloud or CRM with the hope it will fix broken systems,” says Mbonambi. “Transformation starts with questions: can the new technology speak to what already exists? Will employees be able to use it and benefit from it? Are data flows clean and accessible?” This is where it is key to have a partner capable of translating technology promise into operational relevance.

Technology can’t solve your customer engagement issues if your teams can’t access or trust the data. AI can’t transform business insights if your systems aren’t well integrated. Cloud won’t cut costs if your architecture is poorly optimised. This is why it is key to prioritise deep discovery and system-level assurance as part of every implementation. In short, says Mbonambi, there are no shortcuts.

Skills also need to be a critical part of the digital conversation. While global enterprises complain about skills shortages, the challenge in Africa is both to access expertise and build it sustainably. “You don’t always need a degree to drive transformation,” says Mbonambi. “You need people who understand your business, your tools and your customers.”

A smart approach is to prioritise skills-based models over qualifications-based hiring. This practical approach to talent makes access to the right skills at the right time incredibly effective and gives people a chance to gain employment in a very challenging market.

“Cloud is not a cure-all, it’s more of a fixer-upper,” says Mbonambi. “Used correctly, they can clean up the challenges faced by African companies and provide them with insights, tools, capabilities and cost savings that traditional IT infrastructure cannot.”

Successful transformation starts small – documenting processes, identifying bottlenecks, and cleaning up data. It scales with trusted partnerships, realistic timelines and tailored platforms. As Mbonambi puts it: “Digital transformation doesn’t throw technology at the problem, it creates systems that support people, profit and process.”

CRM and cloud are enablers in the right hands. With expert guidance, African organisations are poised to leap, not just digitise. That’s why Africonology’s approach is so deeply rooted in integration, assurance and contextual intelligence because every step is grounded in local business logic and long-term sustainability.